Tony Blair Institute appoints Phyllis Wakiaga as senior development advisor

The Tony Blair Institute says it has appointed Phyllis Wakiaga as senior private sector development advisor. 

In a statement on Wednesday, the institute said Phyllis is the immediate former chief executive of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and worked at the association from June 2013 to June 2022.

Tony Blair Institute for Global Change is a non-profit organisation set up by the former UK prime minister.

“Phyllis Wakiaga is an accomplished professional with over 15 years of experience in private sector development, public policy formulation, stakeholder and government relations, industrial policy, international trade and investment, strategy formulation and execution, human capital management, resource mobilisation, financial oversight corporate governance and sustainability,” the statement reads. 

“Phyllis is the immediate former Chief Executive of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and worked at the Association for 9 years from June 2013 to June 2022. She was the Head of Policy, Research and Advocacy and in 2015 took over as the CEO of the Association. She represented KAM on various boards and organisations including the Anti-Counterfeit Agency, Kenya Intellectual Property Institute, Kenya Private Sector Alliance, EAC Manufacturers Network, COMESA Business Council, and Private Sector Covid Fund Board amongst others.”

Wakiaga was also the chair of the United Nations Global Compact Network, Kenya chapter, from 2017-2022.

“Before joining the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, she was the Manager for Government and Industry at Kenya Airways and prior to that worked at Otieno Omuga and Ouma Advocates as a Pupil and Legal Assistant. She is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and has a Bachelor of Law and Masters in International Trade and Investment Law from the University of Nairobi. She is also a holder of a Higher Diploma in Human Resource Management, Executive MBA and is currently finalizing her PhD in Leadership and Governance at the Jomo Kenyatta University,” it added.

“Phyllis is a member of the Kenya Electricity Generating Company Board and also sits on the Board of Trustees of United States International University and the Management University of Africa Council. 

“Phyllis is an Alumni of the Swedish Institute Management Program on Sustainable Leadership and has been trained by Strathmore and the John Hopkins University of Public Policy and Private Sector Development. She has been recognized among the Business Daily Top 40 under 40 Business 2016, Top 10 Kenyan Communicators 2017, Top Africa Economic Leaders for Tomorrow on the Choiseul 100 Africa list 2018 and one of the 2019 Most Influential People of African Descent, Global 100 Under 40.”

Reacting to the appointment,  Wakiaga said she is a massive believer in industrialisation’s capability to sustainably transform not just Kenya but all of Africa.

“I am very excited to be able to continue to advance this vision, building on my previous work at a broader regional level in my new role as a senior private sector development advisor in TBI’s industrialisation practice. I am confident that we can build the Africa we want and deliver the transformative power of Industry,” she said. 

“I am thrilled to join TBI and look forward to working with my new colleagues towards this goal.” 

Welcoming Wakiaga’s appointment, Rishon Chimboza, TBI’s managing director for Africa, said: “I am delighted that Phyllis is joining the Tony Blair Institute’s industrialisation practice. 

“At TBI, Phyllis will be driving a continental public-private dialogue initiative and the development of global investment programmes across several sectors which are important for the economic transformation of the continent. 

“Phyllis will also be supporting the work on the design and implementation of industrial strategies, bringing her depth of expertise and experience to 17 African countries much in need of industrialisation and economic transformation”.